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Tag Archives: Get Crafty

Hot textiles refers to using heat with spun textiles, creating new effects. Use them in creative stitch textile art and crafting projects.

The spun textiles do not fray or tear and come in different weights for different effects and finished textile art creations.

Colour with paints, stamps, writing, inkjet printing …

The technique used for drying painted spun textiles will also vary the results: flat, draped, on a textured surface …

Appy heat using an iron, craft heat gun or a soldering iron.Take care not to breath in the vapours, working in a very well ventilated area and wearing a respirator if doing more than a small piece.
At my workshops we are able to use the conservatory for the heating part, working by the open French Door.

Workshops at Ecclesall Textile School

Workshops start with exploring a wide range of spun textile art products, and their different weights. Then it’s time to play, experimenting with small samples and making notes so we know which treatment(s) give which effects.
Participants can then choose one or two to work with choosing from a range of projects.

Please get in touch if you are interested in finding more out about our workshops.

Just want to mention a couple of suppliers.
If you are calling in to the Sheffield shop, or placing an oder with ColourCraft, they stock these spun textiles, but don’t necessarily have all of them, or all the weights available.

For a wide range of Lutradur, as well as Evolon, then get in touch with Spunart who give knowledgeable and quick service.

I am genuinely recommending these suppliers without any benefit to myself other than the warm glow of passing on textile art tips.

Tyvek

I have used tyvek quite a lot and mentioned it in a previous blog: textile landscapes.
It makes some wonderful skies when misted and then sprinkled with a few Brusho crystals. Some skies can be stormy, some with a Northern Lights like effect.

The paint, or indeed anyhing, can’t pass through the Tyvek, so both sides can be painted/printed/stamped, differently.

It also makes a lovely “vegan leather” book cover as the tyvek takes the paints revealing a textured effect.

Children at one of my children’s stitch workshops, enjoyed decorating tyvek and then using them to make durable luggage labels.

I have also wired leaf shapes and then distressed them with heat.

The lighter weight Tyvek, which is used in the white crime scene investigation suits, needs careful heating as it heat distresses easily, but makes some great additions to paint and stitch pieces. The unpredictability of this medium needs to be grasped and is all part of the fun.
One piece became part of a rock pool inspired piece. Another a bubbling stream, another a stone wall.

Lutradur

Lutradur comes in six different weights, which suit different uses.

Lutradur 25/30g Lightweight has transparency which can be utilised in applique, enabling the background(s) to show through. Further heat distressing will allow total reveal in places.

Lutradur 70g, Regular is lovely for brooches, having enough body but having a little drape.

Lutradur 100g, Medium weight, is probably the most versatile as it has a little transparency, and distinct shapes and distressed areas are easy to achieve.

Lutradur 230g, heavy weight, is the heaviest weight, enabling self-supporting art work, such as small screens, or lanterns.

Helen Moyes Designs Lutradur Lantern

One of my favourite Lutradur projects is making vases which can then become lanterns.
The textile is decorated, stitched and embellished before being heat distressed.
It is then formed around a glass jar which will hold either water or a tea light.

Always take care when using flames, don’t leave unattended and keep checking as further heat distressing can occur. If in doubt use the battery operated tea lights.

Just time for a quick mention of another couple of my favourites…

Evolon

Evolon is Soft, similar soft suede. It drapes wonderfully and takes paint is lovely ways.

I used Evalon for the background here:

Bondaweb

Bondaweb is a lightweight spun web which has adhesive on both sides. Beyond its many uses in applique, art quilting,you can paint it and then adhere in segments to textile art projects.

Do take care when ironing any of these textiles to use a sandwich of baking parchment to protect both your iron and ironing surface.

I would love to talk more about textile art resources, and how to use them, but will leave some for another time.

I would love to hear about your creative journey with “hot textiles”. Please do comment.

All my household are rather “under the weather” and we have been doing a lot of coughing and sneezing. I bet you’re so glad that germs can’t be transfered through blogs! I have frequently heard the phrase “it’s the time of the year for colds” and I have needed to remind myself that coughs and colds do seem to be a fact of life and getting frustrated won’t help.

Hygge

It would seem that in clearing our throats we have been making sounds like the the Danish word hygge. Hard to explain and even harder to pronounce, the Danish word ‘hygge‘ (pronounced “hooga” or “heurgha” ) translates roughly to ‘cosiness’.

In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. It’s all about creating feelings of happiness, friendliness and wellbeing within everyday life.

Helen Russell, writing in the Telegraph, describes hygge as “the absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming; taking pleasure from the presence of gentle, soothing things”.

It’s being hailed as the route to health and happiness. The latest OECD World Happiness Report put Denmark at No 1, Iceland in third, followed by Norway and Finland, way ahead of the UK at 23.

The phrase “go easy on yourself” springs to mind and I often encorage both myself and others to celebrate what you can do rather than worrying about what you can’t do.

Hygge and Nature

Signe Johansen’s new book How To Hygge hails the Nordic people’s love of being in nature as the key to hygge and encourages us to exercise outside. Walking outdoors compared to on a treadmill automatically increases the calorie burn by ten per cent, due to factors such as wind resistance.

Research has found that being in a park or forest environment lowers stress levels, increases energy, boosts self-esteem and makes you less angry.

I have been wrapping up and getting outside as much as possible and have enjoyed some short walking breaks, enjoying the Winter light and then reflecting these in creating with wool.

One of the things I love about living in Sheffield, one of the greenest cities in terms of parks and woodland, is easy access to the Peak District National Park.

Take a Break

The Danish tradition of daily ‘fika’: a break to sit down, enjoy a hot drink and often a sweet pastry or a cinnamon bun. Taking breaks and having a good work life balance aids prodoctivity as well as . What are your favourite breaks?

Hygge Food

A ‘Nordic style diet’ of whole-grain products such as Ryvita-style ‘knackebrod’, fish three times a week, root veg, berries, locally sourced fruits such as apples and plums and avoiding sugar-sweetened foods, lowers cholesterol.

The mentality of ‘hygge’ means enjoying the good things in life without feeling guilty, including indulging in the food that makes you happy. Despite this, the proportion of adults in Sweden who are obese is 14 per cent, compared to the UK’s 27 per cent. perhaps it is the ideal of moderation. The Scandinavians firmly believe in ‘lordagsgodis’ – Saturday Sweets. It’s ingrained in Scandinavians from childhood that you treat yourself on Saturdays. Studies show a treat every now and then can make a person more likely to stick to a diet.

Hygge Together

‘Hyggeligt’ means “pleased to meet you”, and is also used to describe a chance meeting that felt warm and convivial. Spending time with those near to us is also key to our wellbeing. Forget perfectionism and remember the main thing is sharing food, conversation and your lives with people. Don’t just invite over your friends and let them sit there while you slave in the kitchen. A true Hygge host says” YES” when guests offer to help.

Flames

Candles and natural fires are a key part of this, and are a quick way to feelings of cosiness, and in my experience their gentle light are a great way to disguise dust! Combine with natural scent, such as using coffee beans, for an even greater cosiness.
You can find some of the scented eco soya wax candles I make using vintage cups in my Etsy shop

Get Crafty

Crafty hobbies such as knitting or sewing are perfect to help to relax and calm your being, or curl up and read a good book for hygge refreshment.

Hyggelit

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking who is CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. Meik says in Denmark “You hear hygge being talked about all the time – by everyone, no matter who they are. We talk about hygge things coming up that we’re looking forward to; we point out when something hygge is happening right now; then we like to talk about what a great ‘hyggelit’ (hygge-like) time we’ve had afterwards.”

Then the word can be used in many practical but different sentences describing Danish life – as a noun (hygge), an adjective (hyggelig) and a verb (at hygge sig). As in “hygge is important”, “I’m going to make sure my house is hyggely”, and “I’m hyggeling this corner of my house.”

However, although maybe hygge is not everything needed for wellbeing, I for one am looking forward to cosy moments. As Kurt Vonnegut once said, “Enjoy the little things in life because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things”.

How do you cope with the cold or darker days blues? I’d love to know your thoughts on the concept of ‘Hygge’
If you were to create a hygee box, what would you put in to it?x